‘The Good Wife,’ Season 4, Episode 15, ‘Going for The Gold’: TV Recap

As the season continues to pick up steam, Eli goes to court; Alicia struggles to adjust to her new role; Peter and Maddie debate; and Elsbeth fends off a suitor. But, most intriguingly in “Going for The Gold,” two great actresses pop up in small roles: “American Horror Story’s“ Lily Rabe , who returns as journalist Petra Moritz, and “Law & Order’s” S. Epatha Merkerson, who takes a turn as a judge.

We start with Diane in her office watching a video of gubernatorial candidate Maddie Hayward (we’ll soon find out why) when Alicia enters, sneezing. The senior partner tells her to check out the Bishop bills—she doesn’t want their drug dealer client to think the firm is padding. Within seconds, Will comes by—also sneezing. Did that brief kiss during the last episode transmit a cold? “You two need to stay away from me,” Diane says.

In a romantic Indian restaurant, Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Perrotti (Kyle MacLachlan) waits for Elsbeth. He insists she sit on the bench next to him, has already ordered for her and places a napkin on her lap, despite her protestations that this is a business meeting. Elsbeth whips out a newspaper column in which Josh has defamed her client; he was overheard in another restaurant saying, “I know Eli Gold was buying votes. He’s going down. He’s going down hard.”

“I can’t wait for you to take me to court,” Josh tells her, whispering, “I love the shape of your lips.” (Between the restaurant’s music and the whispering, you probably didn’t hear that unless you had your TV on Grandpa volume.) Elsbeth instantly squeezes out from behind the table and bolts.

Peter is in debate practice—with Diane playing Maddie. Mock Maddie brings up the Gold corruption charges, Peter responds that Eli is no longer on the campaign, and new manager Jordan warns Florrick not to get so close to his opponent—he’s taller and will look like a bully.

Kalinda and Elsbeth visit the restaurant where Josh was overheard blasting Eli; with characteristic chicanery, Kalinda grabs a look at the reservation list and figures out that the Justice attorney was dining with Illinois Democratic party chief Frank Landau.

Yes, it’s true—when Eli confronts him, Franks says he threw him under the bus because they were “coming after me.”

Alicia interrupts Cary’s meeting about the Bishop case, suggesting they don’t need three briefs. All the associates eye her suspiciously, and it’s clear she doesn’t yet have a handle on being their boss.

In court, Josh tries to prove a Gold conspiracy to buy votes. Frank Landau testifies before Judge Ellis (Merkerson) that he witnessed Eli purchasing votes, adding that when Gold recently confronted him, he knocked down his keys. “Oh my god—he knocked away your keys,” mocks Elsbeth, sporting a rust colored jacket that looks great with her red hair. (She’s also carrying a flowered bag that seems to match her scarf—sort of a museum gift shop look, but it works.)

Next thing you know, Landau is served for defamation, and Elsbeth is asking Alicia (in gorgeous black wool jacket with leather trim) for help in court. “We don’t want to win,” Elsbeth explains a strategy that I don’t begin to understand. “We want the defense to ask for dismissal, then we’ll be able to put Frank Landau on the stand in civil court to find out what he’s going to say in Federal court.”

Cut to the courtroom: “This is not a sham, your honor,” Alicia protests. They’re going after Frank for his restaurant meeting. Josh tries to interrupt, but fortunately for our team, Judge Marx (Dominic Chianese) hates the Department of Justice and tells him to shut up.

Unfortunately, though, Frank testifies that what he said was not defamatory because it was the truth: “I arranged for Eli to buy votes…with Hugh Saxon, the CEO of Greengate Retirement Center…Mr. Saxon promised to bus 600 seniors to vote for Florrick.” At the same time, Franks says, Eli gave Greengate a discount for his crisis management services.

Let’s pause here for a not very interesting subplot involving Lockhart, Gardner’s bid to represent the State’s Attorney’s office in civil cases. This would seem extremely unlikely, considering Mrs. Florrick, wife of the SA, works for the firm, but they’re putting in a bid. Will has to meet with the hiring committee—which includes Geneva Pine and Laura Hellinger. Of course, he doesn’t get the business, but there’s some banter and discord between Will and Laura that may mean a romance is brewing.

Speaking of romance—Alicia is apparently so wigged out by her last kiss with Gardner that she doesn’t even want to ride in the same elevator. “It’s okay. We’re not going to act on it,” he tells her. “Again,” she says.

And the next thing we know, she’s having drop by separation sex with Peter on his campaign bus (is he living there now?). He asks her out on a date—and for some debate advice. She tells him to call Eli.

During a visit with the Greengate CEO, Kalinda spots a photo of a bunch of seniors wearing t-shirts supporting various SA candidates. Elsbeth shows this in court and also gets Saxon to testify that the incriminating conversation with Eli never took place. The judge tries to end it there, but Josh says he has another witness.

It’s Jackie! We know she hates Eli for minimizing her role in the campaign. “I’m going to tell the truth, Mr. Gold,” she warns. Eli calls Alicia for help and she’s on her way—only to get waylaid by Cary, who carps that if she cuts his billable hours “it screws me come promotion time.” And we know he’s been screwed twice before.

On the stand, Jackie recalls her visit to Greengate, where “we talked about arthritis…and Jewish stuff.” Prodded by Josh, she says she overheard Eli promising to cut his fee in return for Hugh turning out the senior votes.

Alicia, Eli and Elsbeth confer outside, talking about Jackie’s stroke and how to tactfully bring it up.

That won’t be necessary. When Elsbeth cross-examines her, Jackie seems not to remember her previous testimony. “I suffered a stroke several months ago and it’s left me with shall we say cognitive issues,” Jackie says. “There are days when I can’t even recall my own name.”

Ha! So just what is Jackie up to? Showing Eli she has the upper hand? Aiming for a role in her son’s current campaign?

Back at the office, Diane, decked out in a gorgeous royal blue satin blouse and matching wool skirt, confronts Alicia: “You cut your hours; you were instructed to cut down the associates’.” With so many associate fees, the client might think the partners were handing off the case. Moreover, Diane barks, “This is not the queen’s garden. You cannot dress up as a peasant here. Stop it. It’s galling to them and it’s galling to me.”

Message heard. But in the meantime, Will pokes his head into a Cary meeting and lets them know that “the issue with the bill has been resolved. Alicia cut her own hours instead of yours…Keep up the good work.” Since they’ve all just been badmouthing her, they now look suitably chastened.

With the real debate about to begin, Alicia accidentally arrives on the wrong side of the stage. Maddie says that Jordan sent her there to unnerve her, and it’s not going to work. Alicia responds with a clever line that doesn’t ring true: “You know, they’re always wondering if men and women can be friends. But the real question is, can women?” Then again, as we’ve noted before, Alicia is bizarrely friendless, so maybe she actually believes this.

Following Jordan’s advice to play it low-key, Peter is losing big time to Maddie (think Obama in his first Romney debate). He doesn’t win any points for calling moderator Moritz “Petra.” At the break, Alicia urges him to call Eli for advice—and he does, pulling Gold out of court. In just a couple minutes, Eli gives him a winning strategy—punch back, but stay on the perimeter of the stage, where the cameras can’t follow you, so you can’t be seen towering over Maddie. Peter responds with a little I love you, “I miss having you run the show.”

He goes on to win the debate by using some hard facts against his opponent: She closed a factory and shipped jobs to Mexico; her new hires are part-time with no benefits; she told Wall Street she planned to bust the union. Then the zinger: “It’s Ok to cut your employees’ benefits while you renovate your summer home?”

Gold returns to the courtroom in time to hear Josh say that he has a new co-conspirator—Diane Lockhart.

Somehow, we know that’s not going to work and it doesn’t. On the stand, Diane says yes, she did initial the invoice between Gold and the retirement home, which included a 25% discount. But no, she didn’t approve it—she signed off because at the time, she reported to a court-appointed trustee. Clarke Hayden “was eager to increase cash flow and offered discounts to encourage quick payment.”

“Are you going to continue to play musical co-conspirators?” the judge asks Josh. “Or are we done here?”

We’re done, but Josh isn’t. “Do you like the ballet?” he asks Elsbeth.

“No,” she says.

“Me neither. Let’s not go to the ballet. Dinner.”

“No,” she says.

“May I ask why?”

“No.”

Gotta love her, though I do hold out hopes for this romance. Certainly, Josh doesn’t look ready to give up.

Cary thanks Alicia for sparing the associates only to find out that guess what, he has to cut their hours after all.

Peter and Eli hug and make up. Peter says he can’t get to Springfield without him…or to Washington.

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